If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

HER Number:

MDV29189

Name:

Roman Forts and Camps on St Andrews Hill, Cullompton

Summary

The Roman site on St. Andrew’s Hill, Cullompton, comprising two phases of fort, two annexes and a range of associated features are visible as a series of cropmark ditches, pits and earthwork banks on specialist oblique aerial photographs of 1984 onwards and on digital images derived from Lidar data captured in 2005.

Full description

There are traces of two or maybe three Roman forts on top of St. Andrews Hill. These were discovered in 1984 and were the subject of geophysical survey and evaluation in 1992. The excavation of the outer ditch of the earthwork confirmed a Flavian date for that phase of the fort.

Cropmarks observed on the summit of St Andrews Hill to the north of Cullompton in the drought of 1984 were identified as representing two successive Roman forts of areas 0.85 hectares and 1.89 hectares respectively with annexes to the east. Some internal features, a gate structure and titulum were observed. The smaller (earlier) fort was double ditched: the second fort was until recently preserved as an upstanding earthwork in the modern field pattern. The rampart of the Phase II fort still survives as a low earthwork. Field walking of the site in 1984 produced an assemblage of Roman pottery dated by P Bidwell to before 75 AD.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/ES, 6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337671.

In 1985 the site was faintly visible from the air as a parchmark over the rampart.

Two successive forts, each with an eastern annex, sited on hilltop above Cullompton. The smaller and earlier fort is traceable only as a cropmark, within which traces of post-built structures are disturbed across the interior of a double ditched rextangular enclosure (0.85 hectares). The entire perimeter of the larger (1.89 hectares) fort survived within field banks until the early 1980s when those on the northern and eastern sides were removed. Although many cart-loads of stone were said to have been taken away, the defensive line is still clearly traceable as an earthwork. A sizeable level terrace extending westwards from the western boundary of the large fort indicates the existence of a further annex in this area complimenting those on the eastern side. The site was discovered by air survey during the 1984 drought; subsequent field walking has recovered a pottery assemblage consistent with an occupation date before AD75.

Evaluation excavation in advance of planning application in 1992 revealed a substantial defensive ditch belonging to the larger fort and surviving to a maximum depth of 3.60 metres, narrowing to 2.50 metres at the north end of the north trench - probably an original narrowing, possibly near an entrance. In section the ditch was 1.80 metres deep, with an almost vertical outer side and a more gentle slope, 2.65 metres long, on the inner edge (punic profile). At the base was a slot 0.16 metres wide. The ditch appears to have been deliberately infilled with material from the rampart and the exclusively Roman date for the finds suggests that infilling was completed before the postmedieval period. Twenty two Roman potsherds were recovered from the upper two fills. No stray Roman finds were discovered elsewhere in the field.

Magnetic survey of the site at St Andrews Hill, Cullompton, confirmed the presence of archaeological anomalies detected as a series of cropmarks by aerial photograph in 1984. No significant anomalies detected in immediate environs of fort to west, where subsequent excavation revealed a Roman fort ditch running alongside the eastern boundary of the proposed cemetery extension.

Two Roman camps and two Roman forts situated on the prominent St Andrew's Hill immediately to the north-west of Cullompton town centre, overlooking the valley of the River Culm. The monument survives as a series of buried features which have been identified by aerial reconnaissance and geophysical survey, and partly as earthworks integrated within the existing field boundary pattern. The two camps lie to the east side of the monument and are defined by double defensive ditches; one camp appears to overlie and thus post-date the other. Over the west side of these, a fort was constructed which is defined on its south and west sides by double defensive ditches, each containing an entrance. The north and east sides appear to coincide with a second fort and partly underlie the north and east defences of this feature. There are two lengths of ditch outside the west gate of the first fort which are thought to represent a titulum and possible evidence for a six post gateway. The second fort overlies the first, but is also larger. To the north and east the ramparts remain evident as low banks up to 17 metres wide but not exceeding 0.4 metres in height. To the west and south the ramparts have been integrated in the existing field pattern and survive to a height of 1.5 metres. Up until the 1980s all four sides of this fort were preserved in this way, but the hedges to the north and east were removed at this time. A partial excavation in 1992 revealed the extent of the outer ditch on the west side of the fort. It measured up to 3.6 metres wide and up to 1.8 metres deep and had a punic profile, being steeper on the outside edge than the inner side. Excavation indicated that this feature had been completely backfilled before postmedieval times. Finds from both the excavation and field walking have revealed pottery assemblages which confirm a date of AD 50 to 70, although the exact abandonment date of the fort remains unclear. The second fort is thought to have had an entrance on the west side approximately where a present day field boundary is situated because excavation revealed a significant narrowing of the outer ditch close to this location. Any other entrances remain unclear since all the sides have been affected by alteration. Within the fort, other features have been identified by geophysical and photographic means which include the foundations of possible granaries, a verandah on the courtyard of the Principa of the larger fort, possible building lines and a well or kiln. To the south, the monument is defined by a field boundary which is included within the scheduling. The field boundary on the west side of the later fort is also included within the scheduling as is the buried ditch which lies outside it. The stock proof fences and gateposts which lie within the monument are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.

Roman camps and forts on the prominent St Andrews Hill which overlooks town from the north-west. Monument identified from aerial reconnaissance, geophysical survey, earthworks and excavation. The two camps lie to the eastern side of the scheduled area and are defined by double defensive ditches, the later camp superimposed upon the earlier one. A fort was constructed to the west of the camps, defined on its southern and western sides by double defensive ditches with entrances. The northern and eastern sides seem to partly underlie a second, later fort. Finds indicate a construction date for the fort of AD50-70. There are no known Roman roads linking the site and no Roman settlement is recorded in the immediate vicinity.

A historic environment assessment has been undertaken by AC archaeology during September and October 2014 as part of forthcoming planning applications for proposed mixed use development on c. 70 hectares of land to the northwest of Cullompton, Devon.

Two Roman Forts and two Roman Camps were observed as cropmarks during aerial reconnaissancein 1984, on St Andrew’s Hill to the north of Cullompton. A geophysical survey in 1994 confirmed the presence of the archaeological anomalies identified as cropmarks. Evaluation excavation in 1992 revealed a substantial defensive ditch belonging to the western side of the larger enclosure, and finds from both the excavation and fieldwalking confirm a date of AD 50 to 70 for the earliest fort. To date, the investigations have confirmed that extensive and varied high quality archaeological remains extend across an area of c. 3 ha.

The Roman site on St. Andrew’s Hill, Cullompton, comprising two phases of fort, two annexes and a range of associated features are visible as a series of cropmark ditches, pits and earthwork banks on specialist oblique aerial photographs of 1984 onwards and on digital images derived from Lidar data captured in 2005. The entirety of site occupies a total area of approximately 3.8 hectares on the crest of St. Andrew’s Hill, providing commanding views across the landscape on all sides. The site has been subject to much previous archaeological research, including extensive aerial reconnaissance, as well as geophysical survey, fieldwalking and trench investigation to the immediate west of the fort. Additional features have, however, been recorded as part of this survey. In particular, to the eastern edge, northeast corner and northern edge of the larger, later phase of fort, as well as to the complex arrangement of ditches within the annexe, or camps, to the east of the site. A range of additional internal features have also been mapped, including additional postholes of the probable gate house structure at the western entrance of the smaller fort, as well a number of additional probable pits and posthole like features of former structures. Other possible, more faintly defined internal cropmark features were also visible on aerial photographs, although were not transcribed owing to lack of certaintity. Digital images derived from Lidar data captured in 2005 show two low and broad earthwork outer rampart banks, up to 15m in width, which partly define the northern and eastern edge of the larger, later fort, with possible evidence of the inner earthwork ditch. The superimposition of the later field boundaries clearly utilised these earthworks into the field system, although consequently has masked and confused much evidence of the later phase of fort. Extension of the Scheduled area, possibly following additional survey work, is strongly recommended to accommodate the additional cropmark and earthwork features recorded here as part of this survey.

Eighteen Roman forts are known in Devon. Three, St. Loyes, Topsham and Pomeroy Wood, have no statutory protection. The others are designated scheduled monuments but that does not mean they are safe. Cullompton is typical. Two Roman forts on the edge of the town were discovered from the air, the typical playing card shaped defences showing as crop marks, in 1984. It was realised that two sides of the larger fort, which replaced the first survives as substantial hedgebanks. In 1995 evaluation trenching for a cemetery extension uncovered the outer ditch of the larger fort which contained pottery of AD50-70 and pottery from before AD75 is scattered in the field over the earlier fort.A Roman settlement was discovered to the south in 2009 during excavation prior to development at Shortlands Lane. Burials and artefacts of second to fourth century date were found.Although they are protected sites, the fields in which the forts lie can nevertheless be ploughed and they are suffering as a result due to arable farming. Eight of Devon's Roman forts are wholly or partly under cultivation.